


Be-Witch-Ed

by tfw_cas



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Canon Divergent, Case Fic, Drama, F/F, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Romance, Spells & Enchantments, Witches
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-25
Updated: 2019-01-25
Packaged: 2019-10-15 23:53:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 12,028
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17538716
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tfw_cas/pseuds/tfw_cas
Summary: Ever since she encountered a grief-stricken Rowena attempting to get her son back, Billie has found herself drawn more and more to the witch. After trying to find a reason to spend time with her, Billie discovers a case involving witch-related deaths, and asks Rowena to help her investigate. Will the need to pretend to be a couple, and work closely together, bring them together in an entirely different way?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I was challenged by [Annie_Eliza](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Annie_Eliza) to write a fic for a rare Supernatural pairing. Amazingly, I thought of one so rare that there are no other fics for it on AO3. So I am delighted to say welcome, to the first ever Billie/Rowena MacLeod fic (and my first F/F fic too). I hope you enjoy reading about two of my favourite characters as much as I enjoyed writing it.
> 
> Big thanks to the ever lovely and ever helpful [Emblue_Sparks](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Emblue_Sparks) and [Annie_Eliza](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Annie_Eliza) for the beta-ing, and for being so helpful and encouraging, and to [Annie_Eliza](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Annie_Eliza) for the lovely art.

To say Billie was intrigued by Rowena MacLeod, sometime ally of the Winchesters, ex-member of the Grand Coven, and now the most powerful witch she had ever encountered, was an understatement. She had changed beyond recognition from the first time they had met; Billie could sense the power radiating off her. When Rowena had summoned Billie to bring back her son Crowley, Billie was shocked to the core. From her first meeting with them, she knew that mother and son had had an antagonistic relationship, so to find out that she now cared so much that she was willing to consider sacrificing Sam Winchester to get him back was surprising, to say the least.

 

Here’s the strange thing; Rowena had somehow become more powerful and more vulnerable at the same time. It seemed that unbinding the Grand Coven’s spell which had been constraining her power, had also made her emotions more raw. Although working with the Winchesters probably had something to do with the way she had changed too. Rowena had even become capable of love again, which was unexpected to everyone, including herself. Billie had treated Rowena and her grief with the utmost care and understanding, and this had the effect of calming Rowena down and admitting that she never really wanted to kill Sam Winchester.

 

After this interaction had concluded, and Billie had made certain that the witch was no longer an immediate threat to her, or the wider world, Billie took it upon herself to keep a close watch on Rowena. She told herself that it was because she needed to ensure Rowena didn’t try anything like that again, but in reality, this was only part of the truth. Billie felt drawn to her, like a moth to a flame - in this case a flame-haired beauty.

 

Billie watched from the shadows as Rowena helped the Winchesters and Gabriel with the rift to the apocalypse world, and as Rowena and Gabriel became intimate with each other. She didn’t watch the actual act though - that would have been wrong - but it did open her eyes to the sensual and flirty nature of the witch.

 

Billie also watched as Rowena stayed in the bunker to help the Winchesters return from the apocalypse world, even though she was originally intending to leave them to their fate. It appeared that despite her show of caring for no one other than herself, she was capable of extreme loyalty when it came down to it.

 

All of these behaviours served only to make Billie’s fascination and devotion increase. Yes, she found that she had become quite devoted to Rowena, and she began to wish that an opportunity for them to get closer would present itself.

 

Time rumbled on, as it inevitably does, and Rowena went off on a road trip with a woman named Charlie, who had come from the apocalypse world. Billie suspected that there was more to their relationship than just friendship, but she was unable to watch Rowena as she would normally have done for quite some time, as they were both needed to help defeat the archangel Michael and stop him from destroying the world.

 

Eventually Michael was vanquished, and Sam Winchester and Castiel became consumed with Dean, and how to best help him recover from the trauma of being possessed by the archangel. Charlie and most of the other apocalypse refugees returned to their own world to rebuild, and Billie suddenly found herself free to reconnect with Rowena again. Once she had a good reason to, that was.

 

~~~

 

A marked increase in deaths of the witchy kind in the town of Triora in Italy came to Billie’s attention a few months later, and her interest was immediately piqued. As the embodiment of death, she felt the need to investigate what exactly was going on, but she had another reason too; maybe finally, here was the opportunity she had been waiting for.

 

Billie located Rowena in a luxurious hotel in Chicago - she always did have a taste for the finest things in life - and decided to pay her a visit. Just appearing in her room uninvited might seem a little invasive, so Billie knocked on the door like any regular visitor would do. She waited outside for what felt like an eternity, hearing muttered curses from inside, until the door eventually opened. There was a peephole in the door, so Rowena knew who her visitor was beforehand, and she opted to open it anyway, which was heartening.

 

“Rowena.” Billie’s voice was commanding.

 

“Billie?” Rowena replied somewhat nervously. She looked up and down the corridor, obviously checking if Billie was alone. “What are ye doing here?”

 

Billie had a real affection for Rowena’s Scottish accent, but she tried to not let it show. “I… need your help with something. Can I come in?”

 

“You need my help?” Rowena opened the door wider to allow Billie to enter the room. “I haven’t got any Winchesters tied up and at my mercy, in case you’re looking for one of them,” she joked. Then added “more's the pity. That Sam is-”

 

“I’m not looking for anyone,” Billie interrupted before Rowena got too explicit with her thoughts about Sam Winchester. “A large number of witch-related deaths concentrated in one town has me stumped, and I was hoping you might assist me in my investigations.”

 

“Ooh, assist you in your investigations? That sounds so formal,” Rowena teased, her eyes glinting with mischief.

 

“The town of Triora in Italy. It has an assoc-”

 

“I am all too aware of the place,” Rowena interrupted. “There was a farce of a trial, then they… burned them. Alive.” Rowena looked both disgusted and heartbroken at the thought of the horrors that had been perpetrated upon the local witches during the inquisition.

 

“I’m sorry, of course you know about it. I should have expected that.”

 

“Don’t fret about it dearie,” Rowena said. “It was a bit before my time. But I know all about it. Stories like that are not forgotten easily.”

 

“I will never understand humans who carry out unspeakable atrocities in the name of religion.” Billie had witnessed the aftermath of incidents such as this way too often, and it made her angry every time.

 

“Well, we can definitely agree on that,” Rowena said, before asking “so, you said you want my assistance, yes?”

 

“Yes. A witches’ gathering is to be held in the town next week, and… I was hoping you and I could infiltrate it.”

 

“Ooh, espionage. I love how dangerous it sounds,” Rowena said excitedly. “But I am well known from my time in the Grand Coven, and I know that many would be much happier seeing me dead than allow me to be a part of their gatherings.”

 

“Maybe you could extend an olive branch,” Billie suggested. “Tell them that you regret how you fell out with the coven, and wish to make amends.”

 

“You mean beg for forgiveness?” Rowena did not look pleased at this idea. Not at all.

 

“I wouldn’t put it exactly that way,” Billie explained. “More… accepting and working within the limitations of these lesser witches.”

 

“Oh, you’re good. That was an excellent piece of persuasion.” Rowena smiled. “I cannae possibly say no now, can I?”

 

“You will help me then? This is excellent news.” Billie could feel herself becoming all business now she knew they would be working together. “Will you be able to disguise my identity from the coven? Create some kind of cloak around me?”

 

Rowena raised her perfectly manicured eyebrows and scoffed. “Most powerful witch in the world,” she said, gesturing to herself. “Not much point in that title if I cannae do something as simple as that, is there?”

 

Billie was tempted to point out that it was only Rowena who thought of herself in such grandiose terms, but frankly, she was in such a better state of mind than the last time they had met, that she decided to keep these thoughts to herself. Maybe it wouldn’t hurt to even indulge Rowena a little.

 

“Your power is indeed impressive. If you tell me you can do this, that is good enough for me,” Billie encouraged. “But could it be concerning if the other witches are able to sense how powerful you have become? Or can you hide that from them too?”

 

“Give me a couple of days, and I will have all the spells I require to make us appear to be a pair of lower-level witches. Even the ones that know me will believe that my skills as a sorcerer have waned.”

 

Billie smiled at Rowena, and she was hit with a memory of how she had cupped the witch’s face to comfort her, when she was so full of grief over Crowley’s death. Her skin had felt like porcelain, with a delicacy that belied the toughness of its owner. Appearances really could be deceptive, especially with someone with as much cunning as Rowena.

 

“I am surprised you didn’t ask the Winchesters for their assistance.” Rowena broke through Billie’s thoughts suddenly.

 

“I considered it,” Billie lied. “But I felt this case needed your expertise.”

 

“Expertise,” Rowena repeated, eyes glimmering with excitement. “Yes, I have lots of that.”

 

“Well, I should go, but I will leave you the notes I have on the deaths; see if you can spot anything I have missed.” Billie pulled out the papers from the pocket inside her coat, and handed them to Rowena.

 

“Oh, goody, death reports,” Rowena said, sarcastically. “I like a good read.”

 

“I trust you will find them interesting. Contact me when you have what you need for the spells.” Billie turned to the door and started to open it.

 

“But I don’t have your number,” Rowena protested. “Or am I expected to summon you?”

 

“Oh, my number. Yes.” Billie laughed, feeling somewhat foolish, and Rowena raised her eyebrows in surprise.

 

“You should laugh more often. It suits you.”

 

Why did that give Billie such warm feelings? She had no idea, but she liked it. A lot. Before she could betray these feelings too much, she quickly rattled off the number of the phone she used while on Earth, then took her leave.

 

Once Billie was back in her reading room, she sat down and went over her interaction with Rowena in her mind. Billie had dealt with thousands upon thousands of souls in her long lifespan, but this was the first time she had experienced a pull like this towards one of them. From what little Billie knew about human emotions, this felt like an infatuation, and she wasn't at all sure if she should carry on down this road, or pull back before she got hurt. Because there was no way Rowena could feel the same, was there?


	2. Chapter 2

Three days later, Billie's phone rang from an unknown number. Before she even answered it she knew it was Rowena - it's not like she went around giving out her number to everyone she met.

 

“Hello Rowena.” Billie did her best to make her voice sound commanding.

 

“Hello dear, that rather ruined the surprise, didn't it?” Rowena said cheerfully.

 

“What surprise?”

 

“I called from an unknown number… you were supposed to ask ‘who is this?’ in your serious voice.”

 

Oh, this was a game. Okay, Billie could play along. “Hello, who is this?” She asked, making sure to use her most commanding voice.

 

“Ooh, that made me go quite tingly,” Rowena giggled.

 

 _What_? Was this a flirtation? Was Rowena flirting with her? Billie felt very flustered all of a sudden, and she had a burning need to see Rowena face to face in that moment. She materialised in Rowena's hotel room, and she found they were standing facing each other, with their phones still held to their ears.

 

“Hello Rowena.” Billie slowly lowered her hand holding the phone, maintaining eye contact with the witch as she did.

 

“Well goodness me, you're here already,” Rowena said, unfazed by Billie's sudden appearance. “That's a neat trick you have there. Could you teach it to me?” She lowered her phone, and placed it on the small coffee table next to her.

 

“I am sure you know enough tricks already,” Billie replied, sassily.

 

“Oh, you have no idea.” Rowena winked, and now Billie was certain she was flirting.

 

 _Well goodness me_ , thought Billie. _How does she make this all seem so natural_? Realising that she was staring, she turned away, gaze alighting on the death reports she had left with Rowena.

 

“Did you find anything?” Billie gestured to the papers on the table.

 

“Yes. As a matter of fact, I did. All the deaths have the same hallmark of a witch I knew centuries ago… a witch that _died_ centuries ago.”

 

“Oh?”

 

“Clarissa. She had a particular way of dispatching her enemies, one I have not seen anyone else use. It is actually quite fascinating.”

 

“So you did find them a ‘good read’, then?”

 

Rowena peered at Billie curiously, as if she couldn’t believe that she had remembered her precise words. “I did. I might have put that part of my life behind me now - thanks to those dratted Winchesters and their do-gooding - but I cannae say that I’m not still interested in it.”

 

“Good. Then we will have much to examine when we go to the gathering.”

 

“Ah yes, the gathering.” Rowena furrowed her brow. “There might be a teeny tiny hiccup there.”

 

Billie could feel the disappointment flowing through her at the prospect of them not travelling to Italy together. “A hiccup?”

 

“Yes. You see, the spell I found to cloak your true identity will only work if I stay within fifty feet of you. We would have to be in the same room as each other the entire time.”

 

A sense of relief hit Billie then. “That would not be a problem, would it? We would just have to be careful not to be separated.”

 

“So you would be fine with us sharing a room, then?”

 

“Yes. W-why not?” Billie could feel her voice wavering slightly.

 

“Well, if you’re game, then so am I. We will have an adventure, as Mrs and Mrs MacLeod. How very modern.” Rowena looked positively delighted at this thought.

 

“Pretend to be a married couple? If you think that would be for the best.” Billie tried her hardest to sound nonchalant, and not overly-enthusiastic. After all, she didn’t want to risk scaring Rowena off, even though it seemed unlikely that would happen. Rowena’s bright and breezy nature meant nothing much appeared to faze her.

 

“The best… of course.” Rowena smiled innocently. “Now, I need a cup of tea. How about you, would you like one?” She went over to the kitchen area, filled the kettle, and switched it on.

 

Billie followed her, and stood watching as she picked up a teapot and some tea leaves. “No, thank you. I don’t need-”

 

“Uh uh… wrong answer. Us witches like a cup of tea, so if you want to fit in, you need to get used to drinking it.”

 

Billie could see the logic in this; she especially didn’t want any of the other witches to suspect that she wasn’t one of them. With this in mind, she changed her response to “I would love some of your tea. Thank you.”

 

“Splendid. I’m partial to Earl Grey myself, so try a cup of that. See if it takes your fancy.”

 

Billie took the cup from Rowena, and sipped gingerly at the brew. She could sense the heat coming from the liquid, and the aroma was quite pleasant. She could do this - act human - especially if it would help solve this case.

 

“What do you think?” Rowena enquired.

 

In all honesty, Billie’s ability to taste anything was quite limited, but she wanted to appear gracious, so she answered “it was delicious.”

 

“There now, that’s grand. You’re one of us now.” Rowena clapped her hands, looking absolutely delighted.

 

“I hope I will be convincing as a witch,” Billie wondered out loud.

 

“Och, of course you will. Anyone can see you are a strong, fierce woman, and it is obvious you don’t take any shit.” Rowena stood in front of Billie and ran her hand appreciatively up and down Billie’s arm. “Just look at you,” she said, and Billie shivered under her attentions.

 

“Er… thank you.” Billie was much taller than Rowena, but in that moment she felt like she was under a microscope. Being scrutinised by the beauty in front of her, and not knowing where to look, was kind of disconcerting.

 

Rowena laughed softly. “You’re a fascinating creature, do you know that? Underneath that strength and ferocity you’re just as anxious as the rest of us. You need to learn to relax.”

 

“How do I do that? I don’t-”

 

“Ah now, you’ve come to the right place. How about a wee massage?”

 

Billie froze. She was quite unsure how much all of this friendliness meant; was this Rowena being her naturally flirty self, or did it mean something more? As long as Billie didn’t know the answer to that question, she didn’t want to get into a semi-intimate situation with the witch. If her feelings were one-sided, she didn’t want to risk getting hurt, or looking foolish.

 

“Thank you, but I’m sure I can learn to relax just fine without that.”

 

“Oh.” Rowena actually seemed disappointed at Billie’s response. “Whatever you think is best, sweetie. And the offer is always there if you change your mind.” She poured herself another cup of tea, and stirred it slowly and precisely, maintaining steady eye contact with Billie as she did.

 

Billie swallowed nervously, and looked down at her feet. This kind of human interaction puzzled her the most, but she would have the opportunity to work on that at the witches gathering. And if it transpired that she and Rowena both wanted the same thing, then she could work on that too.

 

~~~

 

When another three days had passed, Billie came to Rowena’s hotel room again. Rowena was to perform the cloaking spell, then Billie was going to ‘zap’ them to Italy, as Rowena teasingly put it. Before Billie had taken her leave of Rowena at their last meeting, they had created a brief backstory for their relationship, in case anyone got too nosey. Rowena had wanted to say that they had met on a blind date, through mutual friends, and it had been love at first sight. It was a true whirlwind romance. But seeing as the reality of their first meeting seemed both sordid and far-fetched - with Rowena flirting outrageously with God, and Crowley appearing to be hitting on Billie, all while they were supposed to be saving the world - maybe Rowena’s story would sound more plausible.

 

“Who was it that introduced us?” Billie had asked.

 

“We can’t very well say Sam and Dean Winchester, can we?” Rowena laughed lightly. “They are far too notorious. I believe God went by the name of Chuck while he was on Earth, and he was technically there when we first met, so… Chuck?”

 

“Alright, Chuck it is.”

 

“And when we met, sparks flew. It was an instant attraction.” Rowena looked expectantly at Billie, eyes aflame with something undefinable.

 

Billie just wished she had some kind of insight into Rowena’s actual feelings for her. This playfulness was something Rowena did with everyone, so there was nothing to indicate that she meant anything to her beyond a passing acquaintance. Not knowing had caused Billie to spend long hours over the last few days going over each and every thing that had passed between them, and that had just become tiresome. So, she had decided that playing it cagey, for the time being at least, wouldn’t be a bad idea.

 

So, knocking on Rowena’s door Billie was resolved to not fall under the witch’s spell, but be herself. This resolve crumbled the second Rowena opened the door and gave Billie that look that said ‘you are the most important person in the world, and I want you’. That was how Billie interpreted it, anyway.

 

“Billie! You look gorgeous, as ever,” Rowena practically purred. “But tell me, do you have any other clothes?”

 

Billie looked down at herself, then held her hands out by her sides. “No. But these are fine, are they not?”

 

Rowena tutted, while shaking her head. “They are fine, yes. But you cannae wear the same clothes for an entire week, can you? What will the other witches say?”

 

“I do not care what they say. I… _oh_!” Billie suddenly understood what Rowena meant. “You mean it’s not normal to wear the same clothes all the time.”

 

“Bingo!”

 

“I am not used to spending so much time on Earth,” Billie confessed. “Wearing different clothes is not something I have ever needed to consider.”

 

“That’s pretty obvious, dearie.” Rowena was looking Billie up and down, appraising her appearance. “But that’s no matter. A visit to a department store will fix that. You’ll look good enough to eat.”

 

And there it was again; that flirty, playful, innuendo-filled way Rowena had, which was very quickly making Billie discombobulated. She could feel her heart beating a little faster and her breathing coming out shallow, but she held herself together enough to shakily reply “I do hope no one wants to eat me. But I am willing to go on a shopping trip with you.”

 

Rowena said something under her breath that sounded an awful lot like ‘I’d like to eat you’, and the way she said it sounded like a dirty joke which Billie didn’t understand. She opted not to ask; instead she pretended she hadn’t heard anything.

 

Rowena picked up her purse and keys, and made for the door. “Right, let's go. We're going to get you some new outfits.”

 

Billie followed obediently, wondering how on earth she had fallen so easily under Rowena's spell. Maybe it was actually a spell, and Rowena was controlling her. Surely she wouldn't… _no_. Billie quickly put that thought right out of her mind.

 

Billie found herself watching Rowena walking; it was quite fascinating, as she was practically floating. Just like everything she did, the way she carried herself was elegant and precise. Billie didn't realise she was so mesmerised, until Rowena had stopped and was staring expectantly at her, apparently waiting for some kind of response. To what though, Billie had no idea.

 

“Well?” Rowena inquired.

 

“Oh… I'm sorry, my mind was elsewhere.” Billie apologised.

 

“I can't imagine what's got you so distracted.” Rowena rolled her eyes dramatically. “I asked if you wanted to stick with the black,” she gestured towards Billie's clothes, “or if you might be willing to be a wee bit more adventurous.”

 

“I’m not really sure. I definitely don't want light colours, but… dark blue, or purple, maybe?”

 

“Sooo, not very adventurous then,” Rowena lightly teased. “Although I have to admit, your look is very strong. Now, let’s away to the store.”

 

A couple of hours in an upmarket department store later, including a flat refusal by Billie to give Rowena ‘a twirl’, and Billie had new pants, sweaters, and a deep crimson trench coat which Rowena insisted was absolutely necessary for the whole ensemble to work. Billie had noticed something like admiration in Rowena’s eyes while she was showing her what she looked like wearing the different items of clothing, and that made her happier than she wanted to own up to.

 

Back at the hotel, Rowena prepared the spell, while Billie arranged her clothes in a case. Unfortunately, it seemed she was very bad at ‘packing’, and Rowena had to do it over for her before they left.

 

They sat on the floor facing each other, then Rowena poured some liquid into a metal bowl which held other ingredients, and began to chant. Her eyes began to glow purple, and a wisp of smoke curled up towards the ceiling, then dipped down to swirl around Billie. The tendrils were almost caressing Billie, as it swirled faster, then it suddenly vanished, and Rowena’s eyes were back to normal again.

 

“There,” Rowena smiled in satisfaction. “All done. Everyone’s going to see you as a witch now. And believe you’re mine, too… ooh, I can’t wait to show you off.”


	3. Chapter 3

Billie ‘zapped’ them to the city of Genoa, where they hired a car in which Rowena would drive them to their destination. Rowena explained that it would be a good idea for a subtle arrival rather than the noticeable power surge which would inevitably happen were they to land right in the town. She figured Genoa was far enough away to escape the notice of the other witches.

 

During the journey, Rowena’s comment about wanting to show Billie off, and the other witches believing that she was hers, ran round and around Billie’s mind. Being unsure about Rowena’s exact meaning was driving her mad; she would alternate between being certain that Rowena was messing with her, to convincing herself that Rowena said these things because she wished they were true.

 

After about half an hour of this, Rowena gave Billie a curious look. “Penny for your thoughts, dear.”

 

Billie furrowed her brow in confusion. “Penny for my…thoughts?”

 

“Och, I keep forgetting you’re not…” Rowena shook her head sadly. “It’s a figure of speech. It means what’s on your mind.”

 

“Oh, I see.” Billie had never completely mastered the strange way humans sometimes speak, with words taking on a completely different meaning. “I am sorry for not understanding.” Billie realised that this was, in fact, an excellent way of deflecting attention from Rowena’s question.

 

“It’s no matter. I’m thinking I will have to teach you a few things.” Rowena kept her eyes fixed firmly on the road, but her smile was once again full of innocence, even though the words were laced with innuendo. This was one thing Billie understood very well, and for once she decided to fight fire with fire, and see what would catch alight.

 

“I would be happy to learn anything you wanted to teach me.”

 

“Now there’s a challenge. Are we talking language, spells, or… ah look, we’re here.”

 

The road had been steadily ascending, running up into the hills, and now they had reached the ancient hilltop village of Triora.

 

Rowena took a few moments to look at the view, as she and Billie exited the car outside their hotel. “Stunning,” she remarked, and Billie had to agree. The setting was quite picturesque.

 

It didn’t escape Billie’s notice that Rowena’s appraisal of the view continued around to take her in too. Rowena’s gaze affixed onto her companion, and lingered for longer than would probably be considered casual. Billie pretended not to notice, but knowing that Rowena was giving her such an interested look gave her a pleasant warm feeling.

 

They checked into the hotel, with Rowena taking care of everything as she so often did. While Rowena filled out the form and chatted pleasantly to the woman behind the counter, Billie took the opportunity to survey their surroundings; noticing with some interest the looks Rowena was getting from some other guests in the hotel lobby.

 

A small group of women were staring at Rowena with distaste, and there was a great deal of whispering between them too. Billie could see she was also under their scrutiny, but with her it was much less critical; instead it just seemed to be them taking an interest in a stranger.

 

The situation was becoming uncomfortable for Billie, and she found herself wanting to shield Rowena from the bad vibes that were being thrown her way. She turned towards her ‘wife' and put her hand protectively on the small of her back, then leaned in to whisper “there's a group of women - witches, I think - looking like they want to do you harm.”

 

Rowena turned around, and gave the women in question the once over, and shot them a withering look. “Well well, if it isn't the three stooges,” she said in a dismissive tone.

 

“Olive branch, remember,” Billie whispered.

 

“Rowena. Fancy seeing you here. Or rather… not.” A tall blonde woman in the group said, in a clipped English accent.

 

“Can't we let bygones be bygones?” Rowena asked, suddenly all smiles. “We all need to stick together, especially in this place with its unsavoury history.”

 

Another one of the women - shorter, dark-haired, and angry looking - stepped forward, glowering at Rowena. “That is not for us to decide, Rowena. Personally, I hope they kick you back to whatever hell-hole you crawled out of. Just stay out of our way, you got that?” She spat, in her refined Irish accent. Addressing Billie then, she said more softly “I don't know what you're doing with this abomination, but you could do so much better.”

 

Billie drew herself up to her full height and fixed the woman with an angry stare. “This is my wife,” she seethed, “so in future I would be very careful how you talk to either of us.” She felt Rowena's hand on her arm, and the gesture instantly calmed her. She looked down at Rowena, who was staring at her in wonder.

 

“Oh, sweetie,” Rowena purred once she had regained her composure. “Always so quick to defend my honour.” She squeezed Billie's arm affectionately, before saying to the group of women - who were now looking quite disconcerted - “isn't she magnificent? I wouldn't make her angry though. She might look like a pussy cat, but she can be a real tiger.” To emphasise this point, she held up her other hand and made a clawing motion, and growled.

 

All this made Billie feel… something she couldn't name. But if Rowena had grabbed her and kissed her stupid right then and there, in front of all these people, she wouldn't have stopped her. She wanted to make absolutely clear to these women that neither she nor Rowena were to be messed with, though. “If I so much as see any of you… undesirables” she waved her hand dismissively at them “looking in Rowena’s direction, you will regret it, more than you could even imagine.” This was not an empty threat from Billie either - she had every intention of unleashing something unspeakable onto these women if they upset her wife again.

 

 _Wife_ . _My wife_. Oh my goodness, this was unexpected. Billie swallowed, and tried to resist catching Rowena's reaction. It was impossible to avoid this for too long, however, and she directed her gaze from the group of women, who were now looking genuinely scared, to Rowena.

 

What was on her face was no longer wonder. There was affection… certainly, humour, admiration, and something else that Billie had not seen in her before. She didn't dare try to name it… but it was giving her goosebumps, and an urge to do do something that she couldn't take back. Something like rushing the two of them up to their room, and stay in there for the next three days instead.

 

Judging by Rowena's shallow breathing and dilated pupils, she might have had a similar thought on her mind too. “Why don’t we go up to our room, and leave our _friends_ to get on with whatever they have planned?” Rowena’s tone went from urgent and fond, to sarcastic, then without further ado she took hold of the handle of her wheeled suitcase and started towards the elevator.

 

Billie followed behind carrying her own wheel-less suitcase, greatly admiring the air of authority Rowena was exuding. Considering Billie was, in fact, one of the most powerful beings in all of existence, she almost unexpectedly found herself willing to follow Rowena… to obey Rowena’s command to go to their room. _Interesting_.

 

Once they were inside the elevator, Rowena’s demeanour changed; her shoulders slumped a little and she sighed heavily. “It looks like this reconciliation idea of yours is going to be harder than we thought. I hope they’re not all like that.”

 

“Those women were very unpleasant,” Billie agreed.

 

“But you… you were amazing.” Rowena stared up at Billie in admiration. “I think they might have actually peed their panties.”

 

Billie hoped that the bus boy that was bringing them to their room didn't understand English, however she couldn't help the laugh that escaped her, remembering the fear on the women's faces. “I believe they will think twice before causing you trouble in future.”

 

“My knight in shining armour. I think I'll keep you.”

 

Before Billie could find any kind of response to Rowena's comment the elevator had stopped and they were being shown to their room. When they were inside, the bus boy put their cases down carefully, gave them a brief demonstration of the room's features, then left them alone once Rowena had given him some money.

 

Billie walked over to the window and looked at the view; or rather, she pretended she was looking at the view, but in reality she was just waiting, and wondering what would happen next in this adventure of theirs.

 

“Well now, isn’t this cosy?” Rowena’s voice cut through Billie’s thoughts, and she turned away from the window to look at the other woman, who was taking in their surroundings. “Though the bed’s big enough that we shouldn’t bump into each other… unless we want to, that is.” Rowena laughed, and the sound was music to Billie’s ears.

 

“I, er… don’t actually need to sleep.” Billie’s words were the truth, but admitting this out loud made her sad, and by the look on Rowena’s face, she wasn’t the only one.

 

“Oh.” The smile that had been on the witch’s face slipped away. “But you cannae go further than fifty feet from me, so ye might as well get as comfortable as possible when I’m sleeping.” There was a hopeful note to her voice, and she gazed at Billie expectantly.

 

“Of course,” Billie agreed. “I think it would be quite pleasant to try lying down at night for a change. And I will try my best not to disturb you while you are sleeping.”

 

“Och. Don’t try too hard.”

 

What was happening? Was Rowena really suggesting that Billie disturb her during the night… to do what exactly? Surely she didn’t mean what Billie was imagining. There seemed to be a strange tension building between them, and Billie had no idea how to handle it, so she quickly changed the subject.

 

“We should probably go to the meeting hall now. I believe that the gathering will be starting quite soon.”

 

“You know, you’re absolutely right? We were having so much fun, I lost track of time.” Rowena checked her reflection in the full-length mirror after using the bathroom, then reapplied her lipstick while Billie tried very hard not to stare. This was exceedingly difficult, as Billie was fascinated by everything Rowena did, and was it her imagination, or was Rowena taking longer over her appearance than usual? She probably wanted to make sure that the other witches couldn’t take their eyes off her.

 

“Time to go.” Rowena took Billie’s arm and led her out of the room, to the elevator, and down to the lobby. From there it was a short walk to the meeting hall, and Billie could sense Rowena’s growing anticipation as they approached.

 

When they entered the hall, most heads turned their way, and the sound of voices noticeably dimmed, but the hostility Billie was expecting appeared to be absent. _How strange_ , Billie thought, but the reason behind this became clear when she spotted the women from earlier.

 

“Ooh, it looks like your reputation has preceded you,” Rowena said with obvious glee. “What do you say we work the room, make sure they all know who you are?”

 

Billie wasn’t sure about this. She was there to solve murders, and so was Rowena, they were certainly not there to intimidate the other witches. It seemed that Rowena read her mind, and she quickly reassured Billie of her intentions.

 

“Dinnae worry, I know what our mission is, and I promise we will get to the murders. I just want to mess with them a bit more. And ye never know, someone might let something slip.”

 

“Okay. I will follow your lead.” Billie felt a squeeze on her arm - Rowena did seem fond of doing that - and they started to make their way around the hall. There were a few stalls set up, some selling goods such as tarot cards and crystals with healing properties, some with flyers for upcoming talks. And then there were a few which had items for the performing of spells, like herbs and some gruesome looking objects. There was, it seemed, quite a mixture of people. There were those who were attracted to the idea of witchcraft, but for them it was more of a spiritual thing, and real witches, who could put hexes on their enemies, or create potions that could bend people to their will.

 

The attendees were mostly women, but there was a small number of male witches there too, and the atmosphere was generally friendly. This was until they came face to face with a woman who was talking to a group of about ten witches, but quickly fell silent as Rowena approached.

 

“So it’s true?” The woman hissed. “I wonder what made you think you would be welcome here.”

 

“Talia, don’t you think in this of all places we should stick together? Isn’t it time to bury the hatchet?” Rowena implored.

 

“You knew the consequences when you broke the rules of the coven,” Talia answered disdainfully.

 

“And that is it forever?” Rowena looked genuinely distressed as tears began to roll down her face. Billie wanted to pull her into her arms and wipe the tears away, but she suspected that Rowena would prefer to carry on.

 

“My son died, Talia. We had our differences, but I have never felt a pain like it. I hope you never experience anything so devastating.” The tears were flowing freely now, and Rowena sniffed before dabbing at her eyes with a handkerchief. Billie removed her arm from Rowena’s, and placed it around her waist. She could feel the other woman trembling beneath her touch.

 

“Is that supposed to move me?” Talia crossed her arms and scowled. “Why should we care that you couldn’t even protect your offspring from a union you knew was forbidden?”

 

“Have you never made a mistake? Never done something foolish for love?” Rowena pleaded. “I know I broke the rules, but don’t you think I have paid for that?”

 

“No, I don’t. You come here expecting us to forget? To welcome you with open arms? That is not going to happen.”

 

“That’s not what I want.” Rowena’s words drew a raised eyebrow from Talia, but her arms remained crossed. “I’m not asking to rejoin the grand coven, I just wanted to be amongst my own kind after my devastating loss.”

 

Talia opened her mouth to respond, but Rowena put a stop to that by speaking again. With a shaky voice and trembling hands, she spoke with feeling.

 

“My powers have been diminishing for a while now, and before they leave me completely I should like to have one last experience of this nature. Surely that is not too much to ask.”

 

 _Oh my_ , Rowena was good. Billie was moved almost to tears by her story of grief and loss, and her plea asking to be accepted by these - frankly - undeserving witches. Why Rowena had been cast out and banished forever just for the crime of loving a non-witch, Billie would never understand. But apparently it was one of the most sacred rules of the grand coven.

 

“I… well. I believe I can live with that.” Talia stared intensely at Rowena then; Billie guessed this was to gauge the truth of Rowena's statement about her powers.

 

“Thank you for your kindness,” Rowena said with sincerity. “You have my word that my wife and I have no intentions of causing you, or anyone else, any trouble.” She gestured towards Billie, who couldn't help the happiness that welled up inside her at being introduced as Rowena's wife.

 

Talia switched her attention to Billie then; seemingly noticing her for the first time. “Rowena's wife… how fascinating.” She looked Billie up and down with entirely too much interest, and Billie felt herself shrinking under the woman's searching gaze.

 

Rowena coughed beside her, and said “I won't be causing ye any trouble… unless you keep on looking at my wife in that manner. Billie is mine, understand?” Her face darkened, and her expression switched to one of anger.

 

“Yes… I-I understand,” Talia turned on her heel and walked away, a look of concern on her face.

 

“Now,” Rowena turned to Billie triumphantly, “let's see what we can find out.” Her demeanour had changed completely,

 

Billie couldn't help but be impressed at Rowena's special brand of deviousness as they walked around the hall, arm in arm. “To make sure we don't accidentally get separated,” Rowena explained.

 

They stopped at each stall, to look at what they had to offer, or to make small talk with a stallholder. Rowena scoffed at some of the items for sale, but she made sure to do it subtly; she clearly didn't want to make any more enemies.

 

“Well, my old friend Beatrice is behaving quite suspiciously”, Rowena announced after they ended their tour of the hall, and went outside away from the crowds.

 

 _Beatrice_? Billie was certain they had not encountered anyone with that name - had she missed something? Her confusion must have shown on her face, and Rowena laughed lightly before explaining.  

 

“Don't worry, you didn't miss anything. I have been listening to every conversation in the room, and I found it quite fascinating.”

 

 _Oh_.

 

“I discovered, for instance, that I intimidated the hell out of Talia with my possessiveness over you. That made me extremely happy.” Rowena’s eyes glinted wickedly. “And a couple of other witches I have never encountered before were talking about Beatrice. It seems that she has been locking herself away for weeks at a time, and no one knows if she will attend this gathering. Which is very unexpected, I must say.”

 

“She would usually attend?” Billie enquired.

 

“Oh yes. It’s unthinkable to have a gathering without Beatrice,” Rowena asserted. “We need to find out where she is, and what on Earth she’s up to.”

 

“Can you find her with a location spell?”

 

“That depends on her reason for hiding - if she’s doing something dastardly, she might be using a cloaking spell. But I might have another way of finding her.” Rowena took a small vial of blue powder from her purse discreetly, and showed it to Billie. “This is very effective at loosening lips. I need to get close enough to the witch that was talking about Beatrice, and perform a wee spell. Then she will tell us what we want to know.”

 

“Okay.” Billie followed Rowena back inside, wondering how they were going to be able to get close to the other witch without her becoming suspicious of their intentions. As it turned out, it was an ingenious plan, which left Billie stunned into silence, and no less confused about Rowena’s feelings towards her.

 

Rowena guided them towards where the two witches were still talking, but stopped a few feet away. Backing Billie up against the wall, Rowena motioned for her to lower her head so that she could whisper in her ear. “Follow my lead.”

 

Billie pulled away slightly and nodded, watching Rowena closely to see what she would do. Rowena threw her head back and laughed loudly, as if Billie had said something hilarious. “Oh you… you always know how to cheer me up.”

 

Rowena then grabbed hold of Billie’s lapels, and brought their lips together in a gentle kiss, which Billie couldn’t help but respond to. She put her arms around Rowena and pulled them closer, as she savoured the feel and taste of Rowena’s mouth moving against hers. She could feel people watching them, but at that moment she didn’t care; she just wanted this kiss to not stop.

 

Of course it did stop eventually, when Rowena pulled away, staring at Billie impassively. “We should probably leave the rest for later, my love. We don’t want to make everyone jealous now, do we?”

 

All Billie could do was nod dumbly in response. Obviously she knew that the kiss had just been a distraction - and Rowena calling her my love didn’t mean anything - but it had felt so nice, and for one moment she had convinced herself that it was real. It wasn’t actually real, was it? _Damn_. Emotions really did complicate everything, didn’t they?

 

Before Billie could get too stuck on where these thoughts might take her, one of the women Rowena had targeted turned to them and said “hey, don’t stop. Watching you two kissing is really hot.”

 

She was practically leering at them as her friend glared at her in shock, then huffed in disgust and stormed off without a word. The woman who stayed giggled and smiled sweetly at Billie and Rowena. “Oh, don’t mind her, she’s just jealous cause she isn’t getting any.”

 

“Is that so?” Rowena asked. “And what about you? Are you getting any?”

 

“Not often enough, and definitely not with anyone as attractive as you two. Say… you wouldn’t be interested in a threesome, would you?”

 

“As tempting as that offer sounds, I’m not really one for sharing. Especially not my Billie.” Rowena took hold of Billie’s hand in her own and squeezed it lightly. Billie rubbed her thumb over Rowena’s knuckles, causing her to squeeze harder. “But what about Beatrice? Maybe it’s time you took that bull by the horns.” There was a slight tremble in Rowena’s voice now.

 

The other woman sighed deeply. “Beatrice… if only. I don’t think she’s interested in me that way.”

 

“Well, why don’t you ask her?” Rowena encouraged.

 

“I could,” she mused. “You think she might be interested?”

 

“No harm in asking, is there? We could come with you… for backup, if you would like.”

 

“Yes, your presence will give me courage. Follow me.” The woman led them out of the building and through a maze of quiet streets, eventually stopping outside an unremarkable looking house. Billie and Rowena hung back a little, as the woman banged on the door while calling out “Beatrice, it’s Vivienne. I need to speak to you… I need to-”

 

The door was flung open, and a woman Billie guessed was Beatrice glared angrily at Vivienne. “I told you to leave me alone Vivienne. Just go… who-”

 

Beatrice’s eyes widened in surprise when she spotted Billie and Rowena, but this quickly turned to what looked like fear when she realised who Rowena was.

 

“Calm down dearie,” Rowena soothed, pushing her way into the house, with Billie and Vivienne close behind. “I’m not here to harm you, I just want to find out what you know.”

 

“I don’t know anything. What are you talking about?” Beatrice’s tone was defensive, and utterly unconvincing.

 

“Don’t play dumb. It doesn’t suit you,” Rowena admonished. “Unexplained deaths, which are definitely witch related, you locking yourself away for days at a time… you are either responsible, or afraid. And by the looks of you, I would say it’s afraid. Hmmm?”

 

Billie had watched all of these proceedings in silence, astonished at how well Rowena’s spell worked on Vivienne, and concerned at the obvious worry and fear coming from Beatrice. Maybe this witch wasn’t responsible for the deaths as Billie had supposed; and of course Rowena probably knew that all along.

 

“I… yes. Someone is killing people in the same style as Clarissa, and I cannot risk showing my face until the culprit is caught. I have no doubt that the finger of suspicion will fall on me, and I will be dealt with in the same way.” Beatrice shuddered at the thought.

 

“Why should you be a suspect?” Billie asked, not understanding the logic of Beatrice’s statement.

 

Beatrice stared at Billie, as if she had only just noticed her. “Clarissa and I were… partners,” she explained. “It makes sense to suspect me. Hell, I would probably suspect me if I didn’t know I was innocent.” She laughed ironically, and shook her head.

 

“I see.” Billie didn’t really know how to respond to this, so she decided to step back and leave the rest of the talking to Rowena.

 

“Well, Billie and I are actually here to investigate. To find out who the murderer is, and stop them.”

 

“You are?” Vivienne cut in, looking totally confused. The spell was clearly wearing off. “Am I investigating too? Why am I here, again?”

 

Rowena hesitated for a moment before answering. “You don’t remember? You did have that wee bang on the head earlier.”

 

Yet again, Billie was astounded at the way Rowena could make deception seem so effortless.

 

“You wanted to bring us to Beatrice because you knew she was in danger.” Rowena explained. “And now I propose we all work together to solve these murders. What do you say?” She looked from Beatrice to Vivienne, and patiently waited for them to answer.

 

“How do I know we can trust you, Rowena?” Beatrice asked cautiously.

 

“You don’t. But if I was going to harm you I would have done it already. You know that, don’t you?”

 

There was a softening in Beatrice’s demeanour, as she contemplated Rowena’s words. “You are right. I am sorry for questioning you.”

 

“Don’t worry about it, dearie. I won’t hold it against you.” Rowena soothed. “Now, I suggest we combine our magic to take a peek at everyone attending the gathering. I believe we can create a spell strong enough to show us if the murderer is among our ranks.”

 

“Yes, alright.” Beatrice extended her hand to Rowena in agreement, and Vivienne followed suit. Rowena gestured for Billie to join in too, after Beatrice and Vivienne looked at her expectantly.

 

Rowena opened her bag, and retrieved a book of spells and some more vials; this time containing a silvery liquid. “This spell will mark the culprit - or culprits - with a dye, which only Billie will be able to see.” Rowena gave Billie a look to convey that she would explain the reason for this later. “When I open the lids of these vials, we must all repeat the words together,” she continued, before placing a cloth on the table, and the vials on top of that.

 

The four occupants of the room followed Rowena’s instructions, making sure to read each word correctly. When this was done the silvery liquid rose up and combined to form a smoke, which then swirled out of the house and through the town.

 

“Now we just have to wait and see who is marked with the dye,” Rowena proclaimed, with a look of satisfaction. “I must say, I had not envisaged the two of you being so willing to help us with this.”

 

“If it helps clear my name, I am more than happy to cooperate,” Beatrice replied.

 

Rowena turned to Billie then, and smiled. “Oh, will you look at the time? We should really get back to the hotel and get some rest.”

 

Billie and Rowena took their leave of the other two women, with Rowena promising to share any information they gained from the spell and Billie’s observations right away. Vivienne was still looking puzzled over her reason for being there, and Billie suspected that she would leave soon after them, to try to clear her head.

 

It didn’t take long for them to reach the hotel, and the seclusion of their room. Rowena ordered some food from room service as soon as they were inside, then as she waited for it to arrive she began to remove various pieces of clothing from her suitcase and place them in the drawers of the dresser. Billie had questions, but had waited for the right moment to ask them - the foremost of these being how she was supposed to spot the person that the dye had landed on - and almost as if she had read Billie’s mind, Rowena started to speak.

 

“I know you’re wondering why I told Beatrice and Vivienne that you would be the only one of us to be able to see the person marked with the dye. I… wanted to prove to them that you are of great importance to our mission.” Rowena sat down in front of the mirror, picked up her hairbrush and started to brush, almost as if she was trying to avoid making eye contact with Billie.

 

“But is it true? Will I be able to see it?” Asking this question allowed Billie to dodge Rowena’s statement about her importance, at least for the moment, anyway. Thinking about it too much would add to the already confusing feelings Billie had been experiencing since they had first gotten together on this case.

 

“No dear,” Rowena confessed. “I will see it, and then tell you. But I figured it would be wise to not give away the extent of my powers; we are supposed to be keeping a low profile, after all.”

 

This explanation actually made a lot of sense. Billie would play along with the deception, and besides, it might be fun to pretend to have powers she didn’t possess.

 

There was a knock on the door, which Rowena answered, and came back with a tray containing a sandwich and a glass of wine. As she ate her meal, Billie picked up the guidebook that was in the room, and flicked through it absentmindedly.

 

When she had finished eating and drinking, and had placed the tray outside the room to be collected, Rowena declared “now, I need to go to bed. At my age, beauty sleep is not an option.”

 

Billie would disagree; as far as she was concerned, Rowena was perfect already. But she did accept that humans needed to sleep. She watched as Rowena went into the bathroom to get ready for bed, and she was captivated by the vision that came back into the room a few minutes later. Rowena had removed her makeup, making her face glow in the dim light of the bedroom, and she was wearing a deep green nightgown that clung delightfully to her curves.

 

“You definitely don’t need beauty sleep,” Billie murmured to herself, as Rowena slipped gracefully beneath the bedcovers.

 

“Pardon?” Rowena cocked an eyebrow questioningly.

 

“Er… I said sleep well.”

 

“I will with you by my side, being my strong, silent protector.” Rowena gave Billie a quick smile, before closing her eyes and apparently falling asleep immediately.

 

Billie felt a sense of calm wash over her, at the thought of being able to think clearly for the first time that day. Not that she wasn’t enjoying herself with Rowena, and their mission, but having time to go over all that had happened, and what all of it might mean was a blessed relief.


	4. Chapter 4

By the time the sun came up next morning, Billie had concluded that Rowena’s actions strongly indicated that she desired some kind of intimacy with her. The big question Billie had though, was regarding how serious Rowena would wish any intimacy between them to be. Did she want nothing more than a dalliance, as she and Gabriel had enjoyed, or was she looking for something more long term? Billie knew which she wanted, but she had to acknowledge that they might not be on the same page.

 

Then, of course, if Rowena didn’t want anything serious, would Billie be able to accept that? Or would it be best to just not start anything, knowing that it wouldn’t be leading anywhere? This would all be a lot simpler if Billie had more experience with human feelings; maybe she would have a better understanding of Rowena’s needs and desires.

 

Rowena had set some kind of alarm on her phone, but still she awoke slowly. She turned towards Billie, and smiled happily. “Good morning. Aren’t you a sight for sore eyes?”

 

Billie could feel herself gaping at the woman in front of her as she sat up. Rowena’s hair was tousled, but this was not unexpected considering she had turned over more than once during the night. Not that Billie had been watching her, or anything like that, or remembering that kiss, and how Rowena’s mouth had felt on hers.

 

Oh, who was she kidding? Billie had memorised every detail; the softness of Rowena’s lips, the way she had briefly pressed her mouth harder against Billie’s, the glorious feel of Rowena’s graceful body as Billie had pulled her into her arms.

 

“Are you okay?” Rowena asked, bringing Billie back to the present. “Do I look that frightful?”

 

“No… no, not at all. You look well-rested. Radiant.” She couldn’t help reaching her hand out and brushing some errant hairs away from Rowena’s forehead.

 

“You don’t look so bad yourself,” Rowena replied, slipping her hand around Billie’s wrist and holding it there.

 

They gazed at each other without moving for a few seconds, and Billie could sense that Rowena was about to kiss her again. They were both breathing shallowly all of a sudden, and Rowena swallowed audibly, while staring at Billie’s mouth. They leaned towards one another slowly, watching each other’s reaction, until their lips were mere millimetres apart. Rowena lifted her hand to Billie’s cheek, and… a banging on the door startled them both.

 

Rowena rolled her eyes. “Breakfast! I ordered it last night.” She got out of bed and went to the door, with Billie watching her all the way.

 

Bringing the tray of food over to the bed, Rowena sighed dramatically. “Well, that was poor timing, wasn’t it? But let’s put that on hold for now, hmmm?” There was scrambled eggs on toast, a pot of tea, and orange juice, and she sat back down to eat, all thoughts of kissing seemingly forgotten.

 

Billie watched Rowena pour herself a cup of tea, before starting on the food. She had to admit to herself that it was probably just as well breakfast arrived when it did. If they had actually kissed, there was a strong chance that they would not have made it out of the room in the next week, at least. The murderer would have been long gone, and Billie’s reason for being on earth would would also be gone.

 

“I’m going to grab a shower, then we should take a look around the town,” Rowena said decisively, as she stood up from the bed. “The sooner we find the murderer, the sooner we can focus on… other things.”

 

Billie opened her mouth to ask what ‘other things’ Rowena had in mind, but one glance at the look of lust on her face answered her unasked question. The sound of running water coming from the bathroom conjured up pretty images in Billie’s mind; images of Rowena standing under the spray, water cascading over her face, droplets bouncing off her naked breasts, and running down towards… _oh my_.

 

The water shut off, and Billie could hear Rowena humming happily. If she knew about the vivid fantasy Billie just had, what would she think? Would she be scandalised, amused, aroused?

 

Rowena came out of the bathroom wrapped in a towel, a divine smell wafting out along with her. “I shan’t be much longer, dear,” she asserted. “I just need to put my clothes and my face on.”

 

Billie was frozen to the spot, wondering if Rowena was about to get dressed in front of her. She did want them to get out of here today, right? Thankfully - or maybe not - Rowena gathered up all the clothes she needed, and disappeared back into the bathroom, emerging minutes later fully dressed. She sat down at the dresser and began applying her makeup, speaking as she did so.

 

“You’re very lucky not needing to do this, you know. You always look splendid, while us mere mortals have to go through this rigmarole if we want to look half as good as you.” She caught Billie’s eye through the glass, and stopped for a second.

 

Billie smiled shyly at Rowena, then looked away while trying not to feel too prideful at Rowena’s words.

 

“There now, all done. How do I look?” She slipped her shoes on, then twirled around a little to show Billie the full picture.

 

“Magnificent, as always,” Billie replied softly, feeling the heat rise to her cheeks.

 

“Why, you sweet talker, you.” Rowena took hold of Billie’s hand in hers, and they walked to the elevator, then out of the hotel without letting go. Rowena’s hand felt as soft as her lips, and Billie got a thrill out of such an intimate gesture.

 

“So now, let’s see what we can see,” Rowena suggested, as they started to thread their way through the streets, and the people. Nothing happened until they reached the hall, when Rowena gasped quietly, and gripped Billie’s hand more tightly.

 

“Talia. I suspected as much!” Rowena snarled. “And she had the nerve to act high and mighty towards me.”

 

“She has the dye?” Billie asked in a whisper.

 

“It’s all over her,” Rowena answered. “She’s guilty as hell.”

 

“So what do we do now?”

 

Rowena was already leading them back outside, and away from Talia. “I have a plan, but I will need to ring Beatrice first,” she said as she fished her phone from her bag, called the number, then waited for it to ring.

 

“Hello dearie,” Rowena said when her call was answered. “We have discovered the culprit, and if you agree we will lure her to your house.”

 

She listened patiently to Beatrice, then spoke again. “Talia.”

 

There was another long pause while Beatrice talked at length.

 

“Yes, yes… you will be perfectly safe, I promise. Get ready, we will be with you shortly.”

 

Rowena ended the call, and they went back inside to where Talia was talking to a group of women. Billie wondered if Rowena was going to use the same tactic as she had with Vivienne yesterday, with magic, and kissing as a distraction. But it seemed that with Talia, Rowena preferred the direct approach.

 

“Talia,” she interrupted, causing the entire crowd to turn towards them. “I heard you were looking for Beatrice.”

 

Talia’s expression went from irritated to curious in a split second. “I might be.”

 

“Well, I know where she’s hiding out. If I tell you what you want to know, you will allow me to rejoin the coven?”

 

While Talia considered Rowena’s offer, Billie noticed Vivienne lurking a few feet away. She caught Billie’s eye and gave a slight nod, letting her know that she was up to speed on events.

 

“If you turn out to be telling the truth, then I agree to your request.” Talia said with a note of reluctance.

 

“Excellent,” Rowena responded with no small amount of triumph, as she handed Talia a piece of paper containing the address. Talia read the paper, then put it in her purse.

 

“Thank you. You have done the right thing,” she said to Rowena, before walking away and out of the hall.

 

“She has no idea how right she is,” Rowena said to Billie. Then, taking her hand again, led her quickly to a secluded spot outside, saying “you need to zap us over to Beatrice.”

 

“But what about the power surge?” Billie worried out loud.

 

“Och, I don’t think we need to worry about that anymore. We’re going to have to use an enormous amount of power to catch Talia, so I don’t think there’s much point in worrying about too much about this.”

 

“Okay,” Billie agreed, then transported them both to Beatrice’s house, landing right in the living room.

 

“Just in time,” Rowena said. “Ready?”

 

“As I will ever be.” Beatrice was clearly nervous.

 

A knock on the door got their attention, and Rowena immediately sprang into action. “Invite Talia inside. Billie and I will be waiting… a good old-fashioned welcoming party.”

 

Beatrice agreed to Rowena’s plan, then Billie and Rowena went through to the kitchen, to listen out for Talia’s arrival. Standing so close together gave Billie a thrill, especially the sensation of being able to feel Rowena’s breath on her cheek when she turned to speak to her. This didn’t last long enough though, as a knock on the door a couple of minutes later alerted them to Talia’s presence.

 

They waited a few seconds, until they could hear voices coming from the living room, then together, Billie and Rowena charged through the door. Talia looked utterly startled as they bundled into the room, and they knew they had the element of surprise.

 

Rowena instantly began an incantation, and her eyes glowed with a purple light. Before Talia could even react, the light enveloped her and luminous purple bindings appeared over her body.

 

“Rowena, you devious bitch! I will destroy you.” Talia struggled against her bindings, but it was useless; she was utterly trapped.

 

“I don’t think you will dearie,” Rowena taunted her captive. “You have killed quite enough people, and now you are powerless.”

 

“I haven’t killed anyone,” Talia protested.

 

“You see, we know that’s not true. Your guilt is all over you.” Rowena waved her hand over Talia, while uttering another spell, and suddenly everyone in the room could see the deep blue dye that had hit her in splashes all over her body.

 

“I… what is this?” Talia looked down at herself in horror, at what was now very clear to everyone.

 

“Come now, there’s no need to be coy with us. We know what you’ve done, and you will pay.” Rowena addressed Talia before turning to Beatrice. “My guess is she did it because she was jealous of you. Take her to the council, and let them decide what to do with her.”

 

“Thank you, Rowena. And if I can do anything to repay you, just say the word.” Beatrice grabbed Talia’s arm in readiness to take her away.

 

“You could not mention that I was involved in her capture,” Rowena replied. “I would rather keep a low profile, if it’s all the same to you.”

 

“You mean you want me to take the credit? That’s not right.”

 

Another knock at the door was answered by Rowena, and Vivienne followed her back inside.

 

“It’s all over already?” Vivienne lamented.

 

“She didn’t put up much of a fight,” Rowena said, disdainfully. “What took you so long anyway?”

 

“It’s the strangest thing,” Vivienne said. “Ever since yesterday I’ve been feeling out of sorts, and I momentarily forgot where the house was.”

 

Rowena examined Vivienne’s eyes, and got her to stick out her tongue, before telling Beatrice “I think she’s been hit by some kind of spell. You should take good care of her until it wears off.”

 

“Yes, of course. It would be my pleasure,” Beatrice said with a smile, and a little stroke of Vivienne’s cheek.

 

Rowena turned to Billie then, and with a wink, said “I think our work here is done. You did an excellent job of identifying Talia as the murderer.”

 

Billie felt a little uncomfortable at being praised for something she didn’t do, but Rowena obviously wanted to keep up the pretence. “I am happy to have helped you.”

 

Rowena kept her gaze steady on Billie, then as if she had come to a decision, she stroked her hand down Billie’s arm until they were linking hands, and they quickly left, throwing out ‘goodbyes’ as they did.

 

Once they were out in the street, Billie noticed that Rowena was hurrying them back in the direction of the hotel. She tugged on Rowena’s hand until she stopped, and looked at Billie.

 

“What’s wrong?” She peered up at Billie with concern.

 

“Nothing. I was just wondering why we’re not going back to the gathering. And why you are in such a hurry. Are we in danger? Do we need to leave town quickly?”

 

Rowena laughed, then pulled on Billie’s arm until she bent down enough for Rowena to whisper in her ear. “I’m in a hurry because I’m tired of this pussyfooting around. I want you… in our room, right now.”

 

Billie could feel her eyes widening in surprise, and a strange feeling spread through that place between her legs. “I could ‘zap’ us there,” she offered, suddenly feeling in a rush herself.

 

“Naw, it’s more fun if we build the anticipation.”

 

Billie was happy to accept that, but she wasn’t willing to hang around either, so she set off at a brisk pace, pulling Rowena along beside her. They went straight for the elevator once inside the hotel, and the ride up to their floor felt interminable. Stealing little glances at each other, and rubbing a thumb over the backs of knuckles kept them occupied until they were able to exit the elevator and make the short walk to their room.

 

As soon as the door was closed and locked, Rowena crowded into Billie’s space, backing her up against the wall. “I’ve wanted to do this ever since you defended me so gallantly yesterday. I really hope you want this as much as I do,” she purred, while slipping Billie’s jacket off her shoulders, and down until it fell on the floor.

 

“I do,” Billie gasped out, rejoicing at Rowena’s words.

 

Rowena ran the backs of her hands over Billie’s still-clothed breasts, pressing harder over the nipples, and making Billie squirm at the feeling. She continued to do this as she stood on her tiptoes and reached up to capture Billie’s mouth with hers. Unlike their first kiss, this one was not a gentle press of lips; it was passion and fire.

 

Rowena pressed her body against Billie’s, and ran her hands up and down her sides, grazing the sides of her breasts. Billie put her arms around Rowena’s and pulled them closer together, as the kiss became more heated.

 

Billie couldn’t believe what these simple acts were doing to her body. She felt like a fire had ignited inside her, and with each touch from Rowena she became more aware of each part of her; every nerve ending.

 

Rowena slid one hand between their bodies, and into Billie’s pants and underwear. When her finger found that magic spot that made Billie cry out and throw her head back against the wall, Rowena kissed her harder and moved her fingers faster until everything became a blur and Billie lost herself in an incredible feeling that exploded through her entire being.

 

As she slowly regained her senses, Billie realised what she had just experienced. Rowena was watching her intently, and waiting for her to gather herself enough to move again.

 

Removing her hand, she asked “did you enjoy that?” It was obviously a rhetorical question, given that she had a huge grin on her face.

 

“It was incredible… amazing,” Billie breathed. “But just to be sure, I think I should have something to compare it to.”

 

“I agree. We should get undressed so I can admire you in all your glory, and then I will show you what we can do with mouths and tongues.”

 

Billie was all too happy to go along with Rowena’s suggestion, and was willing to learn whatever Rowena wanted to show her. And hopefully she would be able to give Rowena as much pleasure as she had received.

 

Rowena took Billie by the hand, and led her over to the bed. She knelt on the bed, patted it seductively as an invitation for Billie to join her, then began to sing...

  


_I put a spell on you_

_Because you’re mine…_

 

~~~

 

Hours later, when they were laying in bed thoroughly exhausted, but very happy, Billie asked “do you want to go back to the gathering?”

 

“I couldn’t care less about the gathering,” Rowena answered, as she trailed her fingertips across Billie’s arm. “Let the other witches have their fun. I have everything I need right here.”

 

 _Oh_. “Good answer,” Billie said.

 

“Of course it was a good answer. I said it,” Rowena laughed.

 

Billie shut her up with a kiss. She had a feeling that this might become something she would be doing quite often, and boy, would she have fun doing it.


End file.
